


sunlit streets of fools gold

by Squiped_Mew



Series: The Tales of Team OMEN (in anachronic order) [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Chatlogs, Crimes & Criminals, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Food Trucks, Gangs, Gen, Good Neopolitan (RWBY), Hijinks & Shenanigans, Humor, Light-Hearted, Mercury Black Is A Little Shit, Mostly Gen, Rated T for language, Team as Family, Vacuo (RWBY), conisder this your breather episode, i just want my kids to be happy, i mean shes still sassy af, only for a bit, tbh all of them are, this is a bit of a mood whiplash if ur reading the series in order, wow i didnt realize that was a tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:14:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26918695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squiped_Mew/pseuds/Squiped_Mew
Summary: Despite Vale and everything that happened there, spirits in Team OMEN were high - higher than they had ever been, in fact. They had gained a powerful and influential alley - albeit one who was kind of a douchebag -  and they now had a game plan for some way to stop Salem’s plans for Vacuo dead in their tracks. Were they entirely legal ways? Maybe not. But for the first time - well, ever - Mercury finally felt like he was doing some genuine good, and he was sure that Emerald probably agreed with him.(OR: Team OMEN arrives in Vacuo, and attempts to set up the pieces for their plan. Not everything goes correctly, however...)
Relationships: Emerald Sustrai & Neopolitain, Emerald Sustrai & Oscar Pine, Mercury Black & Emerald Sustrai, Mercury Black & Neopolitan, Mercury Black & Oscar Pine, Mercury Black/Emerald Sustrai, Neopolitan & Oscar Pine
Series: The Tales of Team OMEN (in anachronic order) [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1938709
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	sunlit streets of fools gold

**Author's Note:**

> this is a bit of a mood whiplash if you just came off of 'what you are in the dark' so like, sorry?
> 
> I write + draw more about this on my tumblr: https://squipedmew.tumblr.com/

Confession time - despite being carted by Salem all across the world, he had never been to Vacuo before. 

Granted, he never really had a reason to, if he was being honest. Cinder had never made him and Emerald go there, and not to mention, he  _ really  _ hated the heat. It screwed with his prosthetics and just really didn’t work with his overall vibe, or whatever.

But he can’t help but share the same sentiment as the rest of the team as the transport airship they’re on crests over a dune and reveals the sprawling city below them, brick and mortar gleaming in the sun. In front of their ship, are a few other floating ships, the airspace regulation seemingly nonexistent. Behind him he could vaguely hear Emerald pointing and explaining to Neo and Oscar the certain places that she recognized from all the way up here.

Despite Vale and everything that happened there, spirits in Team OMEN were high - higher than they had ever been, in fact. They had gained a powerful and influential alley - albeit one who was kind of a douchebag - and they now had a game plan for some way to stop Salem’s plans for Vacuo dead in their tracks. Were they entirely legal ways? Maybe not. But for the first time - well, ever - Mercury finally felt like he was doing some genuine good, and he was sure that Emerald probably agreed with him. 

“-And there’s the hydro energy area - wow, it’s even bigger than I remember, gotta wonder how long it took them to build those watermills -” And Mercury jolted back to the present, hearing Emerald excitedly show off her home city. 

_ Someone’s enthusiastic _ , Neo signed, smirk on her face. 

Emerald shoved the short girl playfully. “I just think this city is cool, okay? Let me be a nerd for a minute, it’s the last you’ll ever see of it.” 

“I figured you really wouldn’t like Vacuo, considering you were, ah, kinda on the streets.” Oscar sheepishly pointed out. 

“Oh, there are some parts that I hate, mostly the twelve million back allies that you’d get mugged in.” Emerald replied, ignoring the looks of concern on Neo and Oscar’s faces. “But the bigger parts I always thought were sick as hell.” 

“Didn’t peg you for an architecture kind of person,” Mercury remarked, sliding back into the conversation.

“Shut it Merc, just let me have this.” Mercury snorted at that, but let it go, content to watch the city grow bigger as their ship descended. 

  
  
  


* * *

“Take care!” Their chauffeur said as they all got off, one by one. Some people looked at the ship strangely, probably put off by the SDC logo, but no one paid any mind. It was Vacuo, they had probably seen weirder. The air was dry and hot, and Mercury silently thanked Neo for the genius idea to weave ice dust into his trenchcoat. The airship deck in which they had landed was made of yellow cobblestone, food trucks parked all around it, people coming and going as fast as the currents in a river. It was a much different feel then, say, Vale or Atlas, which felt very coordinated. Vacuo felt chaotic, improvised, and Mercury was starting to get a sense of why Emerald liked it so much. 

“Where to first?” He asked, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

“Well,” Oscar replied, “We’ve got a two week deadline until the charity ball, and that gives us two weeks to find someone who can forge us fake IDs, as well as -”

_ Holy shit, crepes!! _ Neo interrupted, waving her hands frantically, dragging them over to the row of food trucks parked in the corner.  _ I haven’t had these since I was a kid!! _

“Hey, we need to - oh, these do smell really good, actually,” Oscar’s demeanor quickly changed from annoyed to intrigued. “How much lien do we have on us right now?”

_ If you hadn’t given us away to Jacque Junior, maybe we’d have more. _ Neo snarked. 

“Hey, that wasn’t me, blame that one on Mercury! Besides, we did a horrible job impersonating Dust salespeople.” Oscar rebutted, crossing his arms and sticking his nose up, only to immediately turn around and smile when the worker shoved four paper plates of crepes in his face. “Thank you sir.”

  
  


“Always the polite one.” Mercury remarked, taking a bite of his crepe. Despite the heat outside, the warm crepe was oddly refreshing, chocolate inside melting in his mouth. “...This is really good.”

“Well  _ one of us _ has to be.” Oscar laughed as they descended off the air deck and down the cobblestone stairs. “...I wonder why there were food trucks on an airstrip anyways?”

“Oh, there are food trucks  _ everywhere  _ in Vacuo.” Emerald interjected. “I swear, I lived off of these things for  _ years _ .” They turned into the main city square, and Mercury’s jaw almost dropped at the sight of it.

(Almost - he had a reputation to uphold after all) 

  
  


To start, there were floating lanterns  _ everywhere  _ instead of actual lampposts, and the buildings each looked really different, some even colliding and building into each other with no sense of design and aesthetic. Arches and bridges connected one building to another, looming large above the crowds. Screens advertised various products above them, blaring jingles for hair products and dust. Below the bronze high rise buildings were shops and vendor stalls, once again chaotically colliding with each other in a way that shouldn’t work, but did. Around them, there were a bunch of people performing, some musicians, some acrobats, all of them having some kind of container in front of them, looking for money. The air was lively, and the whole place felt charged with electricity.

Yeah. He could see why Emerald liked this place so much. 

  
  


“...Where to first?” He finally asked, after everyone had stopped gawking at the sight in front of them.

“We should probably find a place to stay.” Emerald replied. “Apartments in this area aren’t cheap - we’d be better off going to the Topaz District.”

“The who-now?” Oscar asked. 

“Shadier area. Cheaper living too. If we hurry, we can catch a tram. Come on!” And the four of them dashed down the stone streets, desperate to catch a tram, all while dusking out of sight of the various cops and huntsman stationed around the corners. While they may not be wanted here like they were in Vale, it was still better to play it safe than be sorry. Story of Mercury’s life, really. 

  
  
  
  


* * *

True to what Emerald had said, the Topaz District really was a lot grungier and dirtier than the square that they had entered in - Freya Square, as Emerald had told them. There were less stands, and the people lurking around looked leaner and more tough. The whole place felt a bit like Vacuo’s answer to Vale’s red light district that they had camped out at for so long.

_ Keep an eye on your wallets guys.  _ Neo remarked, careful not to show off what her hands were saying too much, in case someone was listening in.  _ Everyone here looks like they at least have somewhat of an idea of how to pickpocket. _

“Noted.” Mercury said, before some tall dude with a beard shoulder checked him. “Watch where you’re going!” Mercury shouted after the guy, who didn’t respond. “Asshole.” He muttered, checking his pocket like he was told. His wallet was still there, thankfully.

  
  
  


“Let’s see,” Emerald murmured to herself, checking one of the maps that was set up against the wall, some of the text indistinguishable, having been wiped off from years of people. Pointedly avoiding making eye contact with the fat guy next to her, Emerald mumbled; “A few blocks south looks promising. Let’s start there - you dropped this.” She held out Oscar’s wallet to him, who took it. Under her breath, she muttered; “That fat guy took it.”

“Huh?” Oscar’s head not-so-conspicuously turned to look at the man next to them, whose face was completely neutral. “He didn’t even touch me!” He hissed. 

“Don’t always need to.” Emerald replied, giving the man the stink eye. “If you know what you’re doing, your mark won’t even notice.” With that, they headed south, but not before Emerald cheekily held up the man’s watch. “Like that.”

“Emerald!” Ignoring the two’s banter, Mercury once again nervously felt for his wallet, taking it out. It looked the same - but something felt off. Opening it, he instantly saw why - all of his lien had been replaced with newspaper cuttings - and his fake passport was gone.

“Guys!!” The three of them whipped around, to see Mercury frantically shaking his wallet. “Look!”

Emerald picked up the offending wallet, scowling at it. “...Never seen this before.” She remarked. “Must have been a Semblence thing - oh well.”

“No, my passport was in there!!” Mercury hissed, and all three of them froze.

_ You serious?! _ Neo signed. 

“Dead serious.” He replied. 

“W - why would you put it in your wallet?!” Emerald exclaimed, throwing her hands in the air. 

“I don’t know!!”

“ _ Guys _ !” The three of them turned to Oscar, whose arms were crossed. “Knock it off. Merc, which way did that guy go?”

“Uh… down that way.” He pointed down the alleyway to the right. Emerald cursed, starting down that way. “Uh wait, hold on!”

“Any official in Vacuo worth their salt is gonna recognize that as a fake passport!” Emerald yelled over her shoulder. “We’ve gotta catch up to that guy!”

_ Noted!  _ Neo signed as sharply as she could, before opening her umbrella, Hush, and leaping off of the alleyway wall, pulling herself up to the rooftops. 

“Cool! Oscar, you go with Neo and get a birds eye view on the roof.” Emerald ordered. Oscar nodded, Kalte Rache activating it’s whip form and looping across a balcony railing, flinging himself up and onto the roof as well. “The alleyways are pretty chaotic and aren’t very long, so he couldn’t have gotten far without going on the roofs.” Emerald remarked, before adding under her breath “I did not get this far just to get myself turned in by a street punk looking for some reward money. ” Mercury had to agree with her. That’d be a really stupid way to end his illustrious career.

They turned sharply left, only to see that the alleyway ended. “Where’d he go?” Mercury exclaimed. 

“Either he doubled back, or he’s on the roof -” The sound of a loud howl cut through the dark and damp alleyway, and Emerald sighed. “And judging by that, I’d say he’s on the roof.” 

  
  


The two of them climbed up the walls of the alleyway, landing on flat roofs just in time to see - 

  
  


“Well I’ll be damned.” Mercury snarked, recognizing the man in front of him, holding his kneecap and groaning. “Junior Xiong!” 

Sure enough, while he may not have recognized him on the streets, (his hair had streaks of gray in it, and he wasn’t wearing an obnoxious suit for once) the pudgy nose and beady eyes should have given it away. Junior was currently laying on the ground, hissing through his teeth at the pain in his knee that was presumably caused by Neo, who was standing above him, Hush slung over her shoulder, and looking very smug. 

They hadn’t heard a peep about him back in Vale, and Mercury had presumed a Grimm had gotten to him or something. But, apparently not. 

“Was that - really necessary?!” Junior hissed through gritted teeth, rocking back and forth. Mercury rolled his eyes. His aura wasn’t even broken, and he was already on the floor, whining like a little baby.

  
  


_ What a pussy. _

  
  
  


“Well, you did try and pull one over on us.” Emerald snarked. “Pro tip - don’t snatch wallets from people who are armed - or did you not see the guns strapped to my back?”

“Alright, I get it,” Junior grumbled, standing up. “What the hell do you guys want?”

“...Who’s that?” Oscar whispered over his shoulder to Mercury

“That’s Junior Xiong - I like his first name is like, Huan or something?” Mercury whispered back. “He used to be a big information broker back in Vale. He and Torchwick knew each other or something.”

“An information broker?” Straightening up, Oscar gestured for Mercury to move aside, who obliged. “Excuse me - sir? Mr. Junior?”

“Just Junior.” Junior grumbled, giving Oscar the critical once-over. 

“Uh - yeah.” Oscar continued awkwardly. “Anyways, you’re an information broker, right?”

“What’s it to you?” Junior retorted. 

“I, uh-” The three of them couldn’t help but cringe at how awkward Oscar was being. “Would you happen to know someone who might be able to get us, uh, a fake ID?’’

  
“A fake ID?” Junior asked, arching a thick eyebrow. “What would a kid like you need that for? Sides, unless you’re willing to pay up, I ain’t tellin ya squat. Last I saw you three,” Junior pointed to the rest of the team, “You were with Torchwick, and while I haven’t heard from him in a long time, he’s NOT someone I wanna do business with again.”

_ Torchwick’s dead. _ Neo signed blankly.

“The hell is she sayin?”

“Torchwick ...died.” Oscar translated. “So you don’t need to worry about him anymore.” _No offense,_ he mouthed to Neo, who just shrugged, looking away.

“Hmm…” While Junior looked a little less angry, he still looked highly skeptical. “Well, even if I _do_ decide to deal with you, you lot don’t exactly look like the type to have that kind of lien.” The team all exchanged a look with each other at that. “So,” Junior started, gesturing to Neo. “Why don’t you take the rest of your peanut gallery and scram, pretty girl?”

_That’s it,_ Neo signed. _I’m gonna break his other knee._

“No, don’t do that yet,” Oscar hissed, but just then, Mercury stepped forward. 

“Tell you what,” He said, switching to the voice he always used on adults who thought they were better than him. “Let’s make a deal. As you can see from my wallet which _you_ stole,” Mercury gestured to the offending identical pocket of leather sticking out of Junior’s back pocket, and he pulled it out, flipping through the meager amount of lien inside. “We’re running on a bit of a tight budget right now. So how about we do some work for you instead?”

“Work?” Everyone on the roof declared incredulously, Emerald whipping around to face him, and Neo doing a cutting motion across her neck to get him to shut up.

Mercury did not shut up, in fact. “Yeah.” He plowed on. “Like some kind of job that you haven’t been able to get done for a looong time. One that, maybe, you need some hired help for?” Mercury extended a gloved hand, as if to shake on it. “And in turn, you get us our fake IDs  _ and  _ a hacker.”

“A hacker?!” Junior scoffed. “I thought you just needed IDs!”

“The latter would be nice too.” Mercury replied smugly. 

Junior narrowed his eyes. “...And if I don’t take you on your offer?” He asked suspiciously. 

“Well, not much would happen really. You wouldn’t lose anything.” Mercury responded, rolling his eyes in practiced casualty. “...But something tells me you’ve got _a lot_ to gain.”

There was a tense pause, the energy on the rooftop crackling with tension so thick, you could cut it with a knife.

  
  


Then, Junior sighed, shoulders slumping. “...Fine.” He relented. “It’s a deal. But no backing out once we’ve shook on it.”

“Deal.” Mercury shook Junior’s hand, and grimaced internally at how sweaty it was. “So,” He started once he let go, wiping his hands on his trenchcoat. “What do you need us to do, anyways?”

“...You familiar with Ali Baba?” 

“Hold on,” Emerald pushed forward, red eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Before we start doing anything, we want our IDs first and foremost.”

“How do I know you won’t just book it after I get someone to make them for you?” Junior retorted, balking slightly under Emerald’s crimson glare.

“Well -”

  
  


Neo snapped her fingers. 

  
  


Everyone turned to look at her, who signed;  _ We compromise. _

“Excuse me?” They all said in tandem. 

_ We get our IDs first, but we get the hacker’s help that we need afterwards.  _ Neo signed.  _ That way, we all put something in equally.  _

Oscar translated for Junior who nodded. “For Torchwick’s old lackey, you’re pretty reasonable. Pretty cute too,” He added, with a wink. 

Neo grimaced.  _ Save the sugar for someone who gives a shit about your ugly mug. _ She signed, annoyance painted all over her face. 

“Uhh… what’d she say?” Junior asked, slightly confused. 

  
  


None of them decided to translate for him.

  
  
  
  


* * *

Their new assignment was clear, after some explaining. The main criminal gang in the Topaz District, Ali Baba and the Forty Hands (forty guys, as Junior explained) had been messing with his smuggling and intel for almost a year now, ever since he had gotten to Vacuo. Their job was to trash Ali’s place up, and make it explicitly clear that Junior was not a guy to be fucked with. 

“I don’t get it,” Oscar said, after they had climbed down from the roof and emerged out of the dirty alleyway. “If he was such a big shot in Vale, then why would he be hiring us for something like this? I mean, this city is pretty large, I’m sure there’s a mercenary for hire somewhere.”

“I would have wondered the same thing, if not for this.” Mercury replied, pulling out his wallet. “Junior never went out on the streets and just pickpocketed people’s money like a common thief, he had better things to do. If he’s stooped down to that level -”

_ He’s obviously pretty desperate. _ Neo finished, before placing her hands on her hips and silently huffing. _ Probably low on funds too. _

“Fair point.” Emerald said, but not before Oscar interrupted her. 

“Besides, why are we even doing this?! Whitley told us to stay out of trouble until the charity ball!” He exclaimed. 

Emerald arched an eyebrow. “Oh, so you two are on a first name basis now, huh.”

“Shut it. And I’m serious! Getting mixed up in all this gang stuff is a surefire way to get sussed out by the cops.” Oscar huffed, crossing his arms. 

_ Well, it’s kind of the only option we have.  _ Neo pointed out. 

Oscar groaned. “...I hate it when you’re right.” 

_ You must hate me a lot.  _ That earned Neo a flick on the temple, who jumped back, shutting her umbrella that was shading the both of them.  _ That’s it, no more shade for you. _

‘Wait - no, come back! Don’t leave me in the sun like this, it’s so hot!” Neo and Oscar went ahead bickering, but Mercury stopped, noticing Emerald was staring at something.

“What is it?” He turned, before looking at the bright blue midday sky.

“...Forgot it was so clear out here.” Emerald murmured. 

Mercury looked up. There wasn’t a cloud in sight, the only slight imperfections being a few airships far on the horizons, only an ocean of blue. Mercury wasn’t much of a sky gazer, but even he could see that the view here was pretty spectacular. 

  
  
  


(Besides. If the sky made Emerald happy, then there had to have been something good about it, right?)

  
  
  


“Take a picture or something.” Emerald looked up, to see Mercury pointing to her scroll. “If you like the sky so much, take a picture.” Mercury remarked. 

“...Yeah. You’re right.” And before Mercury realized it, she had looped her arm around his shoulders, pulling him close. “Smile!” She snickered, before the telltale click of a camera clued Mercury into what was going on. 

“Hey!” He reached for the offending scroll, Emerald holding it over her head. “Delete that picture right now!” If there was one thing Mercury hated more than the heat, it was having his picture taken. Emerald, however, only laughed, and Mercury couldn’t help but soften up a bit. 

“No way. I’m saving this forever.” Emerald laughed. “You look like someone just pantsed you in public or something!”

“I hate you so much.” Mercury groaned. 

“Hey guys!!” The two of them turned to see Neo and Oscar waiting impatiently. “If you’re done flirting, we have an apartment to rent!” Oscar yelled. 

“You shut your face!” The two of them yelled, power walking to catch up.

  
  
  
  


Yeah. Mercury liked Vacuo. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**9:30 PM**

**Team OMEN AKA: The clown car**

  
  


**girls who say bruh** : 

  
  


**Iscreamyouscream** :  (͠≖ ͜ʖ͠≖)

  
  


**I joined team rwby and all i got was this stupid tshirt** : oh thats what you were doing back there!

  
  


**they tried to put me on the cover of vouge** : i hate you em. i just want you to know that

  
  


**girls who say bruh** : you love me

  
  


**Iscreamyouscream** : gross. 

  
  


**I joined team rwby and all i got was this stupid tshirt** : okay jokes aside, lets try and find ali tomorrow before all the cops come out

  
  


**Iscreamyouscream** : does that mean we have to wake up at 5am

  
  


**I joined team rwby and all i got was this stupid tshirt** :  (ーー;) maybe

  
  


**girls who say bruh** : gods i just heard merc groan from the other room lmao

  
  


**Iscreamyouscream** : i second that sentiment

  
  


**they tried to put me on the cover of vouge** : k well im gonna go get takeout what do you clowns want

  
  


**I joined team rwby and all i got was this stupid tshirt** : im not picky

  
  


**girls who say bruh** : shrimp w/ ketchup

  
  


**I joined team rwby and all i got was this stupid tshirt** : i am not picky except for one thing

  
  


**Iscreamyouscream** : crepes

  
  


**girls who say bruh** : thats not a valid dinner choice neo

  
  


**Iscreamyouscream** : shut.

  
  


**they tried to put me on the cover of vouge** : k well in that case im just gonna get pizza

  
  
  
  
  
  
  


* * *

(And if Mercury saved Emerald’s picture onto his scroll on the way there? Well, no one would be the wiser. It wasn’t like he thought she looked nice in it or anything.)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> emerald, mercury and neo, who are hardened criminals and have dealt with crime for a while: talking casually w/ junior
> 
> oscar, a country boy: sweating guy meme
> 
> Discord: https://discord.gg/7fGKDJ2
> 
> youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1PtaW8dTzCzlDfb76VRU9Q


End file.
